Tag: Fede Valverde

Fede Valverde takes subtle jab at Luis Enrique, Kylian Mbappe’s critics
12Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Fede Valverde takes subtle jab at Luis Enrique, Kylian Mbappe’s critics

Kylian Mbappe has enjoyed a successful start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu, molding his game into more of an all-around striker at Real Madrid in order to help fellow superstar forwards Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes continue to blossom on the wings. At PSG, Mbappe formed a devastating one-two pairing with Neymar that reached a Champions League Final, but he found it more difficult to co-exist with the other superstars when Lionel Messi arrived in 2021. Last season, Mbappe was the main man for PSG and helped lead the team to the Champions League semifinals, but he was often criticized by manager Luis Enrique for not defending enough or for not taking on additional burdens despite being, by far, the best player on a poorly-constructed side. Real Madrid are already giving Mbapp...
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Ranking the 10 best LaLiga midfielders in 2024
5Oct By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Ranking the 10 best LaLiga midfielders in 2024

Obviously the superstars of Real Madrid and Barcelona are going to dominate a list of the best midfielders in LaLiga, but the entire top 10 list doesn't belong to the biggest two clubs in Spanish football alone. Here are the top 10 midfielders you need to know in 2024, including some stars from Real Sociedad and Villarreal. 10. Brais Mendez, Real Sociedad Brais Mendez has always been a great player, and he should have received more acclaim at Celta Vigo, where he was an excellent partner in crime for the legendary Iago Aspas. In 2022, Brais got a chance to break out of his shell a little more on a competitive Real Sociedad side that was stacked to the brim with underrated talents and top LaLiga stars in the midfield and the attack. During the first half of the season, Mendez was as...
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Even after Toni Kroos’ exit, Real Madrid still have the best No. 8 in LaLiga
22Sep By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Even after Toni Kroos’ exit, Real Madrid still have the best No. 8 in LaLiga

Toni Kroos was a legitimate Ballon d'Or candidate after an incredible 2023/24 season for Real Madrid in LaLiga and the Champions League, as he was the best No. 8 in European football in what ended up being his final season as a professional. But even after Kroos' retirement and the inevitability of being unable to replace the German international directly, Real Madrid still have the best No. 8 in Spanish football right now. That honor belongs to Fede Valverde, who, on a star-studded Real Madrid side, has actually been the Merengue club's standout player through the first six league matches of the 2024/25 campaign. Valverde produced another fine, if not underrated, display in the 4-1 win over Espanyol, registering five combined tackles and interceptions while completing 92.4 percen...
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An early look at the 10 best candidates to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or
9Sep By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Champions League, Features

An early look at the 10 best candidates to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or

I always find it funny how the Ballon d'Or narrative changes over the course of a year - or season, now that the timeframe of the award has changed. Like, when the 2023/24 season first started, all anyone could do was praise Jude Bellingham for taking LaLiga by storm, putting Real Madrid back on top, and scoring bangers in El Clasico to help affirm Real's return to dominance. The guy was leading the league in goals as a midfielder, and while his performances did decline a bit in the second half of the season, we are talking about a decline from being by far the best player in Europe to "just" being great. And it's not like Bellingham was bad at the Euros either. England almost won it, and he was literally the best player in the Final which England came agonizingly close to winning...
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Fede Valverde is Zinedine Zidane’s lasting gift to Real Madrid
5Sep By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Fede Valverde is Zinedine Zidane’s lasting gift to Real Madrid

Real Madrid center midfielder Fede Valverde is having a phenomenal start to the 2024/25 season, continuing his trend of steadily getting even better with each passing campaign. Now 26 years old, Valverde is no longer an ascending young player. He is a leader in the prime of his career, entrusted with being a beacon of consistency and a steadying presence in the middle of the park. Even as Real's results to start the 2024/25 LaLiga campaign haven't been optimal, Valverde himself has never wavered, helping keep Real Madrid at least undefeated. Valverde has been the club's best player to start the season, rising above the hype of Kylian Mbappe, the scrutiny of the attack, and the shadow of Toni Kroos' retirement to make that prestigious No. 8 jersey proud. As we appreciate how Val...
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The 3 biggest winners from Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Valladolid
25Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

The 3 biggest winners from Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Valladolid

Real Madrid had one of the most disappointing performances of any big club in Europe last weekend when they could only muster a 1-1 draw against Mallorca, struggling on the road against the island club. There was pressure on Real Madrid to get back to their winning ways as the defending champions of Spain and Europe, and Real Valladolid, newly promoted back to LaLiga, were deemed the perfect opponents for the Merengue club to rebound. After one half, Real Madrid were still tied 0-0 with Valladolid, leading to concerns that the Merengues would stumble to more dropped points and that the new-look attack was failing to gel without Toni Kroos behind them. But Real's new No. 8, Fede Valverde, stepped up with a monstrous effort from long range on a free kick, fooling the goalkeeper and ...
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Ranking the 10 best transfers in Real Madrid history
10Nov By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Ranking the 10 best transfers in Real Madrid history

Nobody makes blockbuster signings quite like Real Madrid. From David Beckham and Zinédine Zidane to Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, Los Blancos have made some of world football's most iconic transfer splashes over the decades, using these superstar signings to mark different eras of the club. But while the Galácticos are known for the glitz and glamor, the most impressive thing about Real Madrid is how sustainably the club has been run over the last decade after president Florentino Pérez learned from his mistakes in his first run. Real Madrid have become a club capable of making huge signings like Jude Bellingham, but they are also able to unearth gems outside of the top five leagues or invest in top talents for less than 10 million euros. All the while, they generate plenty of reve...
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